Eastern Poland

Podlasie is my favourite region of Poland. Although I have dreamt to see Tatar Trail since my childhood (I am fifty now), first I had to go round the world to be able to see it and fall in love with it at first sight only in 2009. I am attracted not only to the places, but to the unprecedented hospitality and generosity of the region’s inhabitants, not to be found anywhere else. Old Polish principle: ”What’s mine is yours, feel like one of the family” is still valid here. And the food is delicious: I adore fried potato cake, Tatar pierekaczewnik and … pork fat.
For me, the lover of Orient, most interesting was a visit to the old wooden mosque in Kruszyniany (the photograph), I find the historic town of Tykocin equally attractive, and the ride through Bialowieza Forest (Polish: Puszcza Białowieska) makes an unforgettable impression on me.
If you travel with children, apart from watching European bisons, you can also spend time on Trail of Folk Handicraft (Polish: Szlak Rękodzieła Ludowego) pleasantly watching the work of local craftsmen.
For people who love the hustle and bustle of a big city, there is an academic town of Białystok, teeming with student life, full of elegant shopping arcades.

Jacek Świercz – an orientalist, translator, tourist guide. A representative of a Chinese travel agency in Poland. A cat and dog lover.

Jacek Świercz

I was born in Bialystok and I spent my entire childhood there. Unfortunately after high school I decided to move to Warsaw to study at the University of Warsaw. Decision of changing place to live wasn’t easy, because I knew that my hometown is the best place to live in. When I was young, my parents traveled a lot with me, so I could compare many other cities with Bialystok. Today, I got used to live in Warsaw, but my heart is still in Podlasie region. I really love to come back there even for weekends! As I am a travel blogger I’m kind of an ambassador of this place. I’ve shown Bialystok to many of my friends, discussed many topics connected with my city and written on my blog about tourist attractions of Podlasie. I don’t have to do this, but I really want to! I feel that I owe this to my city, because I moved out. It’s simple – I still belong to Bialystok 🙂

My blog in English: Podróże od kuchni.

Marta Gawrychowska

During the travel along eastern border of Poland I was totally amazed. No other Polish region has such a unique atmosphere. I like wandering off the beaten track, so it was a peerless destination for me. I found there hospitable people, tranquil nature and remains of multicultural past. Also the cities like Przemyśl, Chełm or Sanok are fascinating with its turbulent history.

My website.

Dorota Gmiterek

Каждый раз когда я сюда приезжаю я действительно отдыхаю. Я очень люблю традиционные блюда из кухни тех народов, которые здесь оставили свой след.   Люблю великолепную природу, зелёные леса, сёла с деревянными домами и медленную, спокойную жизнь. Я наслаждаюсь тишиной на старом кладбище в деревне и шумом рынка в маленьком городке. Я дышу свежим воздухом и набираю сил.  Что я рекомендую и другим.

Podlasie (Podlachia) – this is the land of my childhood, a magical land inhabited by friendly, good people: Poles, Belarusians, Ukrainians, Tatars and others. This mosaic teaches tolerance and respect for others.
Every time I come here I really rest. I love the traditional cuisine. I love beautiful nature, green forests, villages with wooden houses and a slow, quiet life. I enjoy the silence in the old cemetery in the village and the noise of the market in a small town. I breathe fresh air and gain strength. I recommend it.

Irmina Stanković

I used to be a big fan of western Europe and believed it was a perfect place to travel, live and work. I enjoy travelling, exploring new places and getting to know other cultures  (I caught a travel bug some years ago) but I still come back to Podlasie. My hometown is Hajnówka which is often called “The Gate to the Forest” since all the main roads intersect here and go further to Białowieża.  Unlike many young Poles I chose not to emigrate and stay in Poland to live and deal with adversity on a daily basis. I reckon that the Podlasie region has plenty of places to see and lots of things to do.

Spring is totally amazing here. Most fruit trees blossom, grass is juicy green and you can ride a bike, run, hike, watch the birds or sit around a campfire. In summer it’s nice to spend some time by the lakes e.g. Wigry, Rajgrodzkie, Hańcza, Sajno or Gaładuś. In autumn leaves change colours and fall off the trees.  People take bags or baskets and go to the forests to pick edible wild mushrooms.

In winter there’s nothing like “sleigh rides”. As the region has so many forests, it’s worth trying a horse-drawn sleigh or carriage ride. You just sit in a sleigh pulled by a horse with a cosy blanket on your laps and admire mysterious and magical winter scenes.  It’s ideal  for small groups of friends. Gliding along snowy trails can be a thrilling and unforgettable experience. So if you happen to travel here do not waste it!

Justyna Wasyluk